Unfortunately for Balthier, his question fell on deaf ears as the memory chose that moment to engulf Setzer fully, his stance shifting as he fell into step with the rest who'd been there that day. Silence fell then, until the odd group came across the end of the line.
Kefka, of course, was waiting for them, with a painted smile on his lips. "Welcome, friends!" he began, in a tone that bore absolutely nothing of sanity or welcome. "I knew you'd come, so I've been practicing my greeting!"
Celes was the one to answer him, immediate and angry, speaking the question they all wished to hear the answer. "How much do you have to destroy before you'll have had your fill, Kefka!?" Unfortunately for them, the only answer was the high-pitched cackle that they all knew and hated, as Kefka quite simply... ignored the question at hand.
"I've acquired the ultimate power. Observe!" He made an offhand sort of gesture and Cyan rose into the air, helpless against the power that held him aloft. "Such magnificent power!" he continued, thoroughly drunk on his own power. "You're all nothing more than fleas compared to me now!" Again he gestured and this time it was Shadow who rose into the air, no more able to fight against the power than Cyan. "Embrace your destruction! It's the fate of all things!"
On the last word he gestured yet again and Shadow and Cyan can tumbling to the ground even as Terra stepped forth to speak.
"Because," she began slowly, "it's not the end that matters! It's knowing that you have something to live for right now, at this moment! Something you've worked for... something that's worth protecting! As long as you have that...that's enough!" Yet for all her words, Kefka remained unmoved, in the way that only a madmen could.
"And did you all find your 'somethings' in this broken world that just won't die?"
The answer was unanimous, as the entire group raised their voices in a single 'yes' before continuing on to explain what they manage to find in the ruins of this world.
"Love!" Terra answered.
"A person worth protecting," chimed in Locke.
"A life and child who live on within me," added Cyan, thinking of the family he'd lost to one of Kefka's earlier attacked.
"Friends... and family," offered Shadow, neglecting to comment on just who he'd meant.
"A peaceful kingdom," was the addition of Figaro's young king, Edgar.
His brother was the next to answer. "A loving brother who always looks out for me!"
"Someone willing to accept me for who I am," Celes offered, glancing over in Locke's direction.
Strago followed close on Celes' heels, chiming in with his own offering. "An adorable little granddaughter."
"An obnoxious grandpa," added in said granddaughter "...who I couldn't live without!"
And then it was Setzer's turn to speak. "Wings from a dear old friend!" he added, and oh, would that he knew where said wings actually were, but he knew better than to say such things in front of Kefka. The man would only use it against them, or worse against his ship, and he wasn't about to give him a reason to ruin his wings twice.
He needn't have worried, as Kefka simply made at face at the positively blistering array of optimism rising against him. "Bleh!" he commented, pulling a face to match. "You people make me sick! You sound like lines from a self-help book! If that's how it's going to be... I'll snuff them all out! Every last one of your sickening, happy little reasons for living!"
At those words, Setzer's hand went to the pocket where he kept his cards, drawing them out in one smooth motion... only to find that like before, the world was beginning to fade around them, beginning with Kefka himself.
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Kefka, of course, was waiting for them, with a painted smile on his lips. "Welcome, friends!" he began, in a tone that bore absolutely nothing of sanity or welcome. "I knew you'd come, so I've been practicing my greeting!"
Celes was the one to answer him, immediate and angry, speaking the question they all wished to hear the answer. "How much do you have to destroy before you'll have had your fill, Kefka!?" Unfortunately for them, the only answer was the high-pitched cackle that they all knew and hated, as Kefka quite simply... ignored the question at hand.
"I've acquired the ultimate power. Observe!" He made an offhand sort of gesture and Cyan rose into the air, helpless against the power that held him aloft. "Such magnificent power!" he continued, thoroughly drunk on his own power. "You're all nothing more than fleas compared to me now!" Again he gestured and this time it was Shadow who rose into the air, no more able to fight against the power than Cyan. "Embrace your destruction! It's the fate of all things!"
On the last word he gestured yet again and Shadow and Cyan can tumbling to the ground even as Terra stepped forth to speak.
"Because," she began slowly, "it's not the end that matters! It's knowing that you have something to live for right now, at this moment! Something you've worked for... something that's worth protecting! As long as you have that...that's enough!" Yet for all her words, Kefka remained unmoved, in the way that only a madmen could.
"And did you all find your 'somethings' in this broken world that just won't die?"
The answer was unanimous, as the entire group raised their voices in a single 'yes' before continuing on to explain what they manage to find in the ruins of this world.
"Love!" Terra answered.
"A person worth protecting," chimed in Locke.
"A life and child who live on within me," added Cyan, thinking of the family he'd lost to one of Kefka's earlier attacked.
"Friends... and family," offered Shadow, neglecting to comment on just who he'd meant.
"A peaceful kingdom," was the addition of Figaro's young king, Edgar.
His brother was the next to answer. "A loving brother who always looks out for me!"
"Someone willing to accept me for who I am," Celes offered, glancing over in Locke's direction.
Strago followed close on Celes' heels, chiming in with his own offering. "An adorable little granddaughter."
"An obnoxious grandpa," added in said granddaughter "...who I couldn't live without!"
And then it was Setzer's turn to speak. "Wings from a dear old friend!" he added, and oh, would that he knew where said wings actually were, but he knew better than to say such things in front of Kefka. The man would only use it against them, or worse against his ship, and he wasn't about to give him a reason to ruin his wings twice.
He needn't have worried, as Kefka simply made at face at the positively blistering array of optimism rising against him. "Bleh!" he commented, pulling a face to match. "You people make me sick! You sound like lines from a self-help book! If that's how it's going to be... I'll snuff them all out! Every last one of your sickening, happy little reasons for living!"
At those words, Setzer's hand went to the pocket where he kept his cards, drawing them out in one smooth motion... only to find that like before, the world was beginning to fade around them, beginning with Kefka himself.